Fall Color Palette

Fall palettes are warm and earthy: rust, burnt orange, mustard and deep red set against olive, chocolate brown and a cream background. They are lower in saturation than summer colors, which is what makes them feel cosy.

Try:

See it on a page

Lightest color becomes the background, darkest the text, the most saturated one the button.

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Body text in your darkest color on your lightest: 13.10:1 AA pass

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Surface card with a secondary accent

Export

CSS custom properties, Tailwind v4 @theme (in OKLCH), Tailwind v3 config, JSON or SCSS.

:root {
  --color-dark-slate-gray: #3B2416;
  --color-saddle-brown: #8C3B1F;
  --color-peru: #D9822B;
  --color-burly-wood: #E9C46A;
  --color-old-lace: #FAF3E3;
}

Contrast between every pair

WCAG 2.2: 4.5:1 for body text (AA), 3:1 for large text and UI parts, 7:1 for AAA.

Contrast ratio of every text color (rows) on every background (columns)
Text / background#3B2416#8C3B1F#D9822B#E9C46A#FAF3E3
#3B2416Aa1.90:1FailAa4.95:1AAAa8.66:1AAAAa13.10:1AAA
#8C3B1FAa1.90:1FailAa2.60:1FailAa4.55:1AAAa6.88:1AA
#D9822BAa4.95:1AAAa2.60:1FailAa1.75:1FailAa2.64:1Fail
#E9C46AAa8.66:1AAAAa4.55:1AAAa1.75:1FailAa1.51:1Fail
#FAF3E3Aa13.10:1AAAAa6.88:1AAAa2.64:1FailAa1.51:1Fail

Get an AI critique of this palette

The contrast numbers are calculated exactly in your browser and passed to the AI, so its advice starts from real ratios.

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Fall in seasonal color analysis

In seasonal color analysis, “Autumn” describes warm-toned people with rich, often muted colouring — auburn, golden-brown or dark hair and golden undertones. Their palette is warm and earthy: olive, rust, mustard, camel, teal and chocolate. Sub-types are usually Soft, True (Warm) and Deep Autumn.

Tips for fall palettes

  • Use chocolate or espresso brown instead of black for text: it keeps the warmth.
  • Olive or deep teal balances a palette that is otherwise all oranges.
  • Mustard on cream fails contrast as text; keep it for fills and icons.

Want one written for your project? Describe it on the AI palette generator, then check it with the accessible palette checker.

Frequently asked questions

What colors are in a fall color palette?

Rust, burnt orange, mustard yellow, deep red, olive green, chocolate brown and cream. The Autumn type in color analysis adds camel, teal and warm khaki.

Is fall the same as autumn in color analysis?

Yes. Color analysts usually say Autumn; “fall color palette” is the common US search for the same warm, muted, earthy set.

How do I keep a fall palette from looking muddy?

Keep a clear lightness ladder: one very dark brown, one or two mid tones, one bright accent such as burnt orange, and a light cream. Mid-tones that are all the same lightness blur together.